The Ruler Of Darkness - Chapter 577



Only Noblemtl

Episode 577

Part 1: A once in a lifetime opportunity

Imperial capital.

The bright moonlight was dazzlingly reflecting off the gold-plated roof tiles of the palace.

And there were those who looked at the sight with tearful eyes.

“iced coffee….”

“at las….”

None other than them.

They were old demons from the Akga and Bokyang families.

After so many years of suffering, finally.

They returned to the zodiac and the palace of this Central Plains country.

“I never thought a day like this would come….”

The evil spirit’s Noma bent his knees and touched the pavement of the palace.

He was blind in one eye.

The cause was a new wound that had developed after entering Yeonso-hyeon from Bukmangsan (北邙山).

A wound that has not become a scar for long.

He, who had been shaking up the Sixteen Houses of the Yellow Emperor without rest from the outside, lost one of his eyes to an assassin sent by the current heads of the household.

Akga, a military family.

And the man of that evil, Norma, was a warrior, and for him, a warrior, to lose one eye was like losing much.

but.

“I’m back, I’m back… .”

Yeonshin.

He didn’t feel even a hint of loss as he stroked the pavement of the palace.

To him, who had been addicted to power, wielded it, and been driven out by it, the meaning of the palace was incomparable to anything else.

Even if I lost both my arms.

Even if I lose my leg.

If only I could return to this palace like this, what could I regret?

“Khuuuhuk…!”

And that feeling.

The same was true for Bokyangga’s Norma, who was standing and shedding hot tears.

“I never thought I would be able to set foot in this palace alive again…!”

He slowly extended his trembling hand toward the golden pavilion ahead.

Any moment now.

Right now.

All that power seemed once again at the mercy of his old, sickly grasp.

“Both of you. By now, it seems like you’ve fully enjoyed the thrill of returning home.”

The one who appeared from behind was Norma, who guided them to the palace.

It was Gongsun Nagant.

He said this while looking at the evil and the evil spirits of Noma looking back at him.

“At this point, I should make one thing clear for you guys.”

The two Normas’ reactions to Gongsun Nagant, who poured cold water on the emotional moment, were not very favorable.

“… something?”

However, Gongsun Nagang continued talking without paying any attention to such things.

“Even if you return, this is not the palace it used to be, and His Majesty the Emperor is not the Emperor he used to be.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

The eyes of the Normas glaring at him narrowed.

How could Gongsun Nagang not sense the blatant hostility in those eyes?

“Don’t act rashly.”

The reaction was immediate.

“The current heads of the clans who usurped our positions are no longer in the Imperial City, and that Yeon So-hyeon will soon have to leave the Imperial City…!”

“The most annoying opponents are all going to empty the zodiac, so how can I just let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip away…?!”

“… … .”

Gongsun Nagang’s eyes sank deeply as he looked at those nomads.

By Yeonseonhyeon, by his mysterious powers, a powerful prohibition was placed on the minds of the Normas.

“We’re back…!”

“We can reign supreme again…!”

nevertheless.

These nomads were dazzled just by seeing the golden tiles of this palace.

That’s what power is.

Those who have tasted it will forever thirst and yearn for the juice and fragrance of the fruit.

‘…should.’

eve.

If he had not seen that nightmarish Dark Heavenly Lord stirring up the zodiac, Gongsun Luoqiang himself would not have been much different from them.

“Gongsun Nagant, if you try to stop us…!”

“Right now, you-!”

“Okay.”

Gongsun Nagang turned around and interrupted their conversation.

He walked ahead of them and said,

“They say seeing is believing. What good is wrangling among ourselves with words here?”

The place where Gongsun Nagang’s footsteps were headed was the huge hall where the emperor carried out his duties.

The huge hall was brightly lit even at this late hour.

It meant that the young emperor was still working at this moment.

“no way…?!”

The old men who sensed ominous things in Gongsun Nagang’s words and actions were on edge.

“Yeonsohyun, is that guy over there…?!”

“You’re not so blinded by fear yet, are you?”

And then he snickers.

Gongsun Nagang turned his head slightly and looked at them with a sneer.

“You can rest assured.”

He said.

“Because he is not in the palace.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

At those words, the Normas facing each other snickered.

Their gait as they followed Gongsun Nagant was filled with the arrogance of those days.

If there is no Yeon Soo-hyeon.

What would dare to stop them?

* * *

“… … ?!”

“… … ?!”

The footsteps of the two Normas, who had strode through the door opened by the eunuch, suddenly stopped.

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

Inside the huge pavilion.

When the door opened, all the civil and military officials who had gathered there looked at them at once.

In the aftermath of the various events that had taken place in the imperial palace, not all of the ministers and officials were present.

but.

Just having everyone stand up straight and look at each other with shining eyes created an enormous sense of pressure.

“Oh my, why haven’t you all left the palace even at this late hour?”

From the back.

There was someone answering the voice of Gongsun Nagang, who had come in a step late on purpose.

“Haha, how can there be a difference between day and night when dealing with the piling up important affairs of this Central Kingdom?”

The high and low ranking officials stepped aside one by one to reveal the source of the laughter.

“… Prime Minister, Kang Sang.”

The eyes of the evil and blessed nomads narrowed as they saw the huge figure that did not match his age at all.

But I wasn’t particularly surprised.

They already knew that their long-time nemesis, Prime Minister Kang Sang, had returned to the palace.

‘Prime Minister Kang Sang is excellent, but… .’

‘This is someone I’ve dealt with so many times I’m sick of it.’

past.

Weren’t they the ones who made Prime Minister Kang Sang take off his official uniform and run out of the palace?

“Long time no see, Prime Minister.”

“Your water is very clean. I guess the water in the palace is good.”

The nomads began to stride inside and make a fuss.

Although all civil and military officials were gathered there, it did not seem particularly threatening.

Most of them are young people.

They were just a bunch of hot-blooded kids who had just stepped foot into the palace in the aftermath of yesterday’s events, and there were no real figures of power to be seen.

“Oh, look at this. Isn’t this the second son of the Gam(?) family?”

“Wow? Time flies, that pee-pee boy has already grown so much…!”

Last night.

The second son of the Gam family, who led the young men of the family and risked his life to inform Amcheonjonja that there were still upright and righteous people left in the Gam family.

“… … .”

As soon as the sun rose, he arrived at the palace faster than anyone else and pledged his loyalty to the young emperor.

Gamhyosung opened his eyes wide.

but.

“Haha, that’s fun.”

“Time flies, flies.”

That’s barely enough to entertain these nomads.

Even.

The Normas stood in front of Gamhyosung and even patted his shoulders as if to encourage him.

“I heard that the head of the Gam family suffered a misfortune last night.”

“Tsk tsk, it’ll be hard for you to take care of the family since you’ve been a big hater in the family.”

“I also have quite a connection with the Gam family.”

“You can consult us anytime-.”

at that time.

In the ears of the Normas who were openly mocking him.

“Aksunmyeong (岳??) and Bokyangcheok (?陽?).”

There was a soft voice calling their names.

“hmm?”

“Who calls these elders by their names so carelessly?”

and.

As if responding to that arrogant question, the civil and military officials split apart like the sea splitting in two.

“… … !”

“… … !”

Axonmyeong and Bokyangcheok.

The two Normas’ eyes widened as if they were going to tear apart.

“Huh, Emperor-?!”

“your majesty…?!”

They obviously knew that the Emperor would be here.

If the high and low officials have not withdrawn from the palace and are still staying until this late hour, isn’t it because the Emperor is watching over them?

but.

Still, they couldn’t help but be surprised.

“You, the ones who started the Northern War and drove all the people of this Central Kingdom into despair and sorrow, come here with your heads held high?!”

The figure sitting on the jade throne symbolizing the emperor of the Central Plains and looking down at them and shouting was clearly the emperor.

“The Grand Master has entrusted you with permission to return to the palace. Do you dare to act so recklessly without even knowing the favor?”

“… … !”

“… … !”

That person, no more.

He was not the young emperor they knew.

“Listen, Prime Minister!”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Prime Minister Kang Sang, here you are!”

The young emperor shouted in a voice like autumn frost.

“Right now, bring those sinners who don’t even know their place to their knees!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The moment when Kang Sang bowed his head deeply and answered with both hands together.

Bam…!

“This is His Majesty the Emperor’s royal command…!”

“Arrest them…!”

The door opened and the guards poured in, covering the two Normas.

“… Huh?!”

“… Huh?!”

The two Normas fell to their knees, almost as if they had been beaten, their heads hitting the floor as they realized.

“Listen up, you two sinners…!”

Why does Yeon So-hyeon no longer show up in this palace?

And why did they call them back to the palace?

“Until you truly repent and truly swear allegiance to me! You will not return to being the heads of the Akga and Bokyang families, but will become mere administrators who manage the families on my behalf!”

For this young emperor, no more.

Yeon So-hyeon’s direct assistance was no longer needed.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Near the entrance.

Gongsun Nagang, who was watching their appearance, shrugged his shoulders and said.

“Seeing is believing.”

Prime Minister Kang Sang also couldn’t hide the smile that clearly appeared on his lips.

“Your Majesty…!”

“Please have mercy…!”

He wasn’t looking at the nomads.

What he was looking at were the eyes of the high and low officials looking at the kneeling nomads.

It was the fear that was in their eyes, transcending sects.

And that’s it.

It was the emperor’s authority.

Although.

As those Normas had noticed, the real power holders were absent from this place.

‘-This much is enough.’

Prime Minister Kang Sang turned his gaze towards the wide open entrance.

His gaze was directed into the distance.

‘Are you feeling it?’

His question was directed far away, at the heads of the sixteen Huangdao families in Luoyang.

‘If you delay any longer in Luoyang, your power in the imperial capital will truly be uprooted.’

Will they remain in Luoyang to prevent Yeon So-hyeon’s ascension to the throne, even at the risk of giving up everything they have?

or not.

Will they return to the Zodiac to prevent their power base from collapsing?

‘Actually, the answer is not set.’

Prime Minister Kang Sang’s gaze was directed downwards, toward the nomads.

“Your Majesty…! Please…!”

“Please recognize the loyalty of these old men…!”

Those who have tasted power.

Can’t give up power.

* * *

Luoyang.

“… the four princes.”

The saintly elder raised his hand to calm the commotion around him and glared at the sage.

“Although the current situation in the imperial capital is chaotic, the heads of the sixteen clans have put in a great deal of effort in this trip to Luoyang.”

The elders around him stood by him and nodded.

“That’s right…!”

“If they back out here, they will never get this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity again…!”

“… … .”

Yeon Yu-hwa secretly agreed with their views.

If Yeon So-hyeon becomes the head of the So family, his power, which has depended on strategy and momentum until now, will truly be comparable to that of the heads of the sixteen Hwangdo families.

In other words, Yeon So-hyeon’s power is at its weakest right now.

“…indeed.”

Sakongja Yeonbi nodded as if she understood.

“I agree with your views, Bio.”

“then-!”

“but….”

Sakongja Yeonbi cut him off and raised her hand, pointing towards the entrance.

And as everyone’s eyes turned there as if they were mesmerized, the door opened wide.

“Urgent news…!”

A man who appeared to be one of Elder Sung’s subordinates shouted urgently.

“Just now! The heads of the sixteen families decided to withdraw from Luoyang!”

“… … !”

“… … !”

Everyone was speechless at the news.

Yeonbi shrugged her shoulders and laughed softly, the sound echoing throughout the room.

of course.

It is one thing for them to return to the imperial capital and another to completely let go of Luoyang.

Even though they are not in Luoyang, they will never miss this opportunity.

“Hahahaha…!”

But that doesn’t mean.

Fuel economy, and yourself too.

How could you miss the opportunity to laugh at your enemies while watching them play on the palm of your big brother’s hand?